During the 10 hour drive between MI and Iowa, the adult passengers shared stories of people with somewhat opposite personalities, strengths, interests, and characteristics finding one another, pursuing one another and resulting in marriage. No one intentionally sought out an opposite, but attraction to the opposite was the common thread in every story. Also common was that the differences have worked together not against the relationship. In fact the opposite qualities become complimentary over time. My own experience would say that is because I’ve pushed back less, and appreciated the differences more; I rely on what my hubby is wired to contribute and accept his ‘opposite’ as necessary to bringing out the best in me – and our ‘opposites’ functioning together bring out the best in us.

Turns out, this opposite attractiveness shows up in circumstances as well as in people. I have a fresh experience that I need to write down somewhere. Its too much for me to hide, to keep to myself. And because it’s raw, real, recent, there is no filter. My father has pancreatic and liver cancer. He responded well to chemo for months, but in the last few weeks has made the shift to facing end-of-life rather than more treatment. He is still living with love, in faith, not in fear. My brother Jim and I (we both live out of state) got to be with my dad and my mom this past week. And really – we did a lot more being than doing. That doesn’t feel like much, but its good. My brother Jeff and wife Sara who live there are so present, kind, compassionate. Their little kiddos are refreshing diffusers of the intensity. So thankful for this time to be together. However, during this same week, some many-year, long-story unfortunate circumstantial crap stirred itself up. Just trying to write that sentence sucks air out of my lungs, makes my hands shake. Does anyone else relate to hard things piling up – coming at you in multiples? Sheesh. It nearly wrecked me. Nearly. Thank you friends for phone calls/texts; you people who I know well – who know me well, and who know yourselves the wallop of hard things. In one conversation the words of Psalm 23 about the darkest valley (or valley of the shadow of death) came up and the truth that its real but we can “walk” through it because were not alone in it. I would admit sometimes the walking looks more like crawling with bloodshot eyes, snot running out of your nose, gasping for air. Or looks like fist pounding on what seems like steel doors, crying for mercy. We’re not alone. The opposite of the darkest valley makes me vividly aware of my need for the Presence of Jesus.

The valley of the shadow of death isn’t imaginary. It isn’t figurative. The shadowy valley of darkness isn’t inviting or attractive, never on someone’s bucket list. No one will escape it. Though most will want to avoid walking through it themselves or with someone they love. Normal. I find its hard to breathe and my chest feels tight and I can’t swallow easily when I’m walking through that valley myself or alongside someone. A sense of helplessness bounces off the valley walls: ‘I can’t make this go away; I HATE this; I can’t DO anything to change the outcome; I can’t fix anything; I have no control; I don’t want this to be happening.’ It is threatening and oppressive – alone. Ps 23: 4 “Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil for You (Jesus) are with me; your rod and your staff will comfort me.” I will walk through dark valleys but I can without fear…and with provision, protection, comfort, peace – the Light. You can too; we are NOT alone.

Joy meet grief. Sorrow meet beauty. Celebration meet suffering. Dark valley meet Light. These opposites actually seem to attract. My friend Rachel told me about an unreal circumstance her friend is living right now, unborn baby, cancer. no No NO. Same story: best doctors available, treatment, plans for summer, and the beauty of a Spirit filled prayer. Please – pray for Rachels friend, her name is Rachel.

And Please don’t push back on the light in your own life, maybe a birthday celebration, maybe a baby on the way, an engagement, vacation, a childs school program, the job you like, a snow day, even if you also have unreal circumstances in your life – in your friend, family, neighbors life.

Yesterday Dirk the pastor told the story of Elijah who was in the darkest valley; ( I Kings 19 ), Elijah who just had his life threatened by a nasty angry kings wife; a prophet who had ENOUGH; a man of great faith who was just done; who was afraid; who ran away – away from people and places and civilization. He got to the wilderness alone, away from the dark place, but not really away from the fear or feelings of being overwhelmed. He lands under a bush and actually prays this prayer: “Enough of this God, take my life, I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave.” Then he falls asleep. I hate to admit, but I get you Elijah. I relate to the fear for my life, to the having had enough, to the desire to run far away from people, places, civilization. Anyone else want out of the dark valley?

Thank goodness Dirk the pastor included the next 5 verses. Here is where the opposite of despair shows up. An angel shakes Elijah awake and fixes him breakfast! More sleep, more food and he is ready to take up a long journey to a place where God Himself comes to Elijah in a gentle whisper and sets him back on his feet, back on task. Dark doesn’t win. I again relate to this story – arriving home, exhausted and waking up to someone making me a great cup of coffee and an spinach, egg, and cheese mexican breakfast torte smothered in Nanita’s hot green chili. Thanks JR, you angel you.

People, please believe me. God is for real. He is good. He is greater than the darkness which is also so very real and no one denies. Don’t push back on Who the Light Is. If you are curious or skeptic, desperate or not; if you have sat in a church for years and are pretending to believe but really don’t, or have never asked a single question about God – Please just ask God to show Himself to you. He will. I can’t help but share what is so real for me in the current dark valley. I don’t know too many people who haven’t lived through rough patches. What I know to be true is that the greatest opposite of those places, of those people, of those circumstances is the way Jesus shows up, encourages me and sets me back on my feet – back to living. He is doing that now. The cancer isn’t gone, the crap isn’t gone, I’m not done walking through. But I didn’t run and die alone under a bush. And I know for certain – I am not walking through alone.

Are you in a dark or dangerous place? Is hard piling up? Wanna run? Too overwhelmed to even know what you need? This is true: You Are Not Alone. God is everywhere and will not let you be overcome. As we are unique, our circumstances unique, God meets us uniquely.